Volunteer Opportunities From: Brilliant Detroit

Brilliant Cities/Detroit currently has 19 operating hubs and there are always different opportunities that are in need of volunteer assistance. Whether it is reading one-on-one or with a group, managing activity stations, painting a room, event material set-up/restore, categorizing the book library, or sorting in-kind donations, our hubs have specific needs that arise throughout the year.

Current volunteer opportunities:

Brilliant Grixdale Farms Fall Clean-Up

Our Grixdale Farms hub has been closed for the summer and is ready for a fresh start this fall! We’re inviting volunteers to help us prepare the space for reopening as a vibrant center for literacy programming and community events. As a hub organization volunteer, you’ll play a vital role in getting the space ready by decluttering and deep cleaning, organizing supplies and materials, and helping to create an efficient, welcoming environment where our Brilliant participants can gather, connect, and learn. Volunteers groups are especially encouraged to join us! Flexible scheduling available; please inquire.

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Brilliant Dexter-Linwood Basement Organization Project

Help create a welcoming and efficient space for our Brilliant participants! We're looking for volunteers to assist with organizing the basement of our Dexter-Linwood hub which is home to our free community clothing closet. Volunteers will assist with assembling shelving units, sorting totes, and organizing clothing by size. Your efforts will help us maintain a welcoming, clutter-free environment, making it easier for community members to access the resources they need. Flexible scheduling available; please inquire.

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Brilliant Russell Woods Clothing Closet Organization 

Brilliant Detroit's Russell Woods hub hosts a community clothing closet that provides free clothing to those in need, helping to boost self-esteem by allowing individuals to feel confident and included with appropriate attire. This is especially crucial for families facing clothing insecurity, as it can positively impact academic performance and social interactions. Our Russell Woods location is seeking volunteers to assess the quality, condition and seasonal appropriateness of their clothing donations and help categorize them by type and size. Flexible scheduling available, please inquire.

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Brilliant Cody Rouge Basement and Garage Organization

We're looking for volunteers to assist with organizing the garage and basement rooms, assembling shelving units, and storing totes—some heavy lifting required. Your volunteer efforts will support smoother operations and ensure resources are accessible in a clutter-free environment. Flexible scheduling available, please inquire. 

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Brilliant Brightmoor Organization & Redesign 

Our Brightmoor location is currently looking for volunteers to help organize basement rooms, assemble shelving units, and properly store totes to declutter and sort items. Volunteers will assist in creating storage solutions and ensuring our programming areas remain clean and functional. Tasks may include lifting and moving boxes, sorting supplies, and organizing materials. Volunteers are needed weekdays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

We're excited to share a variety of exciting new events happening this winter! Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of opportunities where we could use your support. We’d love to have you join us in celebrating the holiday season while making a meaningful impact in our community. 

Please respond to this opportunity listing by specifying which event(s) you're interested in supporting. Thank you.

Upcoming events:

Brilliant Russell Woods Presents: Pete the Cat's 12 Groovy Days of Christmas Celebration!

Wednesday, December 17, 2025, 4-7 p.m.

Our Brilliant Russell Woods hub has been enjoying Pete the Cat’s adventures all year, and now they are hosting a special event featuring Pete the Cat’s Christmas edition. Participants will enjoy a festive storytime, themed activities and games, and delicious seasonal treats.*

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Brilliant Dexter-Linwood Cozy Christmas Celebration! 

Thursday, December 18, 2025, 3-6:30 p.m.

Celebrate the season at our Brilliant Dexter–Linwood Hub! Join us for our December Family Engagement Night, filled with Christmas-themed activities, holiday movies, and festive fun for all our Brilliant families.*

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Brilliant Littlefield 2025 Christmas Bash

Friday, December 19, 2025, 2:30-6:30 p.m.

Our Littlefield community is ringing in the holiday season with: a visit from Santa Claus, festive activities and games, a cozy storytime session, a delicious Christmas meal (plus a hot cocoa and cookie bar!), and maybe even a surprise visit from a magician or a clown!*

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Brilliant Brightmoor Holiday Celebration

Friday, December 19, 2025, 3:30-8 p.m.

Our Brightmoor Holiday Celebration will bring families together to enjoy storytelling, cookie decorating, Christmas bingo, DIY ornament crafts, and a festive photo booth complete with holiday props! These activities will create lasting memories, strengthen family bonds, and spark the holiday spirit in a warm and inclusive atmosphere!*

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Brilliant Boynton Presents: A Very Merry Elf Adventure!

Friday, December 19, 2025, 4:30-7 p.m.

Join us at our new Boynton hub for a family-centered holiday celebration designed to bring the community together through festive activities. Brilliant kids can visit the “Elf Shop” to choose special gifts for their loved ones, and volunteers will help them select and wrap their presents. Volunteers will also assist with photo printing and help ensure that families enjoy a memorable holiday experience!

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Brilliant Fitzgerald Winter Pajama Party

Saturday, December 20, 2025, 1-5 p.m.

This joyful event will bring neighbors together to celebrate the winter season with board games, ornament and mug crafting, dancing, delicious food, and plenty of laughter. Families will also enjoy warm cocoa, donuts, and special gifts! This event is the perfect way to strengthen community ties and spread holiday joy in a welcoming space.*

*Volunteers are needed to help with event set-up, activity management (kids games and crafts, giveaway stations), food distribution and clean-up.

Celebrate the season at our Brilliant Dexter–Linwood Hub!

Join us for our December Family Engagement Night, filled with Christmas-themed activities, holiday movies, and festive fun for all our Brilliant families.

Volunteers will play a vital role in creating a warm and energetic atmosphere by assisting with event set-up, registration, activity management, food distribution, and post-event clean-up. We are embracing a Cozy Christmas theme, so volunteers are encouraged to wear pajamas!

Now more than ever, we’re reminded of the importance of helping others. After the distribution of SNAP benefits was impacted during the recent government shutdown, many families in our neighboring communities are facing food insecurity. To help meet this growing need, community member and friend of Brilliant Detroit, Lisa Garatoni, launched the Brilliant SNAP Campaign to provide extra support to families during this time.

As we approach the holiday season, we are calling on our community partners to help organize food drives to collect non-perishable items and essential household goods. These contributions will help stock the community pantries located throughout our Detroit neighborhoods.

Thanks to our wonderful partners at The Wave Project, most Brilliant community hubs now feature 24/7 food pantries just outside their doors. Families can access these pantries whenever they need, with no barriers and no questions asked. Together, we can make sure every family has what they need this holiday season.

How can you help?

We’re inviting our community partners to:

Here’s a sample listing of items that are most appreciated:

• Any shelf-stable foods
• Peanut Butter / Jelly / Honey
• Cooking oil (like olive or canola)
• Salt / pepper, and other spices
• Proteins: Canned chicken, tuna, and beans
• Soups: Canned soups and chilis
• Vegetables: Canned vegetables (preferably low-sodium)
and canned tomatoes / sauces
• Fruits: Canned fruit (in juice, not syrup)
• Meats: Canned beef stew, chili, shelf-stable meats
• Meal Kits: Macaroni and cheese, pastas, potatoes,
boxed dinners
• Rice (brown rice is often preferred)
• Whole-grain pasta
• Whole-grain and low-sugar cereals
• Rolled oats and instant oatmeal
• Shelf-stable milk and milk substitutes
• Whole-grain breads and crackers
• Barbeque Sauce Hot Sauce
• Flour and Corn Meal
• Salad Dressings
• Healthy Juices
• Shelf-stable, low-sugar snacks like granola bars,
dried fruit, apple sauce
• Non-food items like personal hygiene products
(soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine
hygiene products
• Household Supplies: toilet paper, paper towels,
and laundry detergent

If you’d like to contribute items for holiday meals, please see the suggested list below:

• 10-12 lb Turkey
• Poultry Seasoning
• Chicken Broth
• Stuffing Mix
• Milk
• Gravy
• Cranberry Sauce
• Potatoes
• Jiffy Mix
• Cans of Corn
• Green Beans
• Diced Tomatoes
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cookies
• Brownie Mix
• Roasting Pan
• Turkey Baster
• Pumpkin Pie
• Cola or Sodas

Join us at our new Boynton hub for a family-centered holiday celebration designed to bring the community together through festive activities. Brilliant kids can visit the “Elf Shop” to choose special gifts for their loved ones, and volunteers will help them select and wrap their presents. Volunteers will also assist with photo printing and help ensure that families enjoy a memorable holiday experience!

Our Brilliant Russell Woods hub has been enjoying Pete the Cat’s adventures all year, and now they are hosting a special event featuring Pete the Cat’s Christmas edition. Participants will enjoy a festive storytime, themed activities and games, and delicious seasonal treats.

We are currently looking for volunteers to help make this event a success by assisting with set-up, activity management (kids games and crafts, giveaway stations), food distribution and clean-up.

We are grateful to a generous donor who contributed over 300 Thanksgiving meals to our Brilliant hubs to support families this holiday season. Each meal includes a turkey, potatoes, and carrots, and will be distributed across our 19 hubs, which provide free resources to the neighborhoods they serve.

We are currently seeking enthusiastic volunteers (groups are welcome!) to help unload this donation delivery and organize the meals for distribution to our locations.

Brilliant Detroit is teaming up with 360 Detroit to host a free community holiday celebration at The Congregation! Guests will enjoy music, dancing, delicious food and holiday spirit in the company of our wonderful, Brilliant community.

Volunteers are needed to assist in the following areas/shifts:

Please specify which shift(s) you're interested in supporting when completing this form, and a member of our Brilliant Volunteer Team will follow-up with you shortly. 

Monthly community dinners:

Next date: Thursday, November 20th, 3:30-7 p.m.

Following date: Monday, December 15th, 3:30-7 p.m.

Brilliant Pontiac’s monthly community dinners offer a welcoming space for neighbors to connect over a shared meal, meaningful conversation, and a sense of belonging. These dinners are designed to strengthen community ties in a warm, inclusive environment. We are looking for volunteers to help set up the dinner area, welcome community members to our Brilliant Pontiac home, plate and serve food, manage fun and interactive child enrichment activities, and assist with cleanup by returning event materials to their original spaces.

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Holiday Extravaganza:

Thursday, December 4th, 3:30-7:45 p.m.

Join us for a festive holiday celebration at our Brilliant Pontiac hub filled with creativity, community, and joy for the whole family!

This special event will bring neighbors together to enjoy holiday-themed cuisine, activities, and a unique gift-wrapping experience. Children will have the chance to select and wrap gifts for their caregivers, while parents and caregivers will do the same for their children! Creating a fun and meaningful exchange of love and appreciation! Families will also enjoy lively holiday activities designed to spark laughter, connection, and togetherness!

Volunteers will play a key role in spreading holiday cheer by event set-up, registration, activity management, food distribution, and post-event clean-up. Your support will ensure that families leave with full hearts and lasting holiday memories! 

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Clothing closet organization:

Flexible timing; please inquire

Brilliant Pontiac hosts a community clothing closet that provides free clothing to those in need, helping to boost self-esteem by allowing individuals to feel confident and included with appropriate attire. This is especially crucial for families facing clothing insecurity, as it can positively impact academic performance and social interactions. Volunteers are needed to help assess and organize clothing donations; some heavy lifting is required for this role. 

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Homework help:

Fall 2025; Monday-Thursday, 3:30-4:30 p.m. 

Starting this fall, Brilliant Pontiac will offer after-school homework help sessions for students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. These sessions aim to support young learners with their schoolwork, encourage curiosity, and promote positive study habits. We are looking for volunteers to mentor students, assist with homework questions, model patience and a love for learning, and help tidy and organize materials at the end of each session. This is a great opportunity for older students to step into a meaningful mentoring role!

Join us for a cozy and festive afternoon at our Fitzgerald Hub, filled with holiday cheer, creativity, and fun for the whole family!

Before our newest O’Hair Park hub wraps up for winter break, join us for a Winter Wonderland-themed holiday event filled with festive games and activities, delicious seasonal food and a heartwarming gift exchange! This is a great way to connect with the community, celebrate the season, and bring smiles to our families.

Volunteers will play a vital role in creating a warm and energetic atmosphere by assisting with event set-up, registration, activity management, food distribution, and post-event clean-up.

Join us for our Brilliant Cody Rouge ‘Winter Gingerbread Story Night:’ a magical evening filled with holiday crafts, a sweet gingerbread-themed storytime session, and a warm, seasonal meal! We’re looking for volunteers to help make this community engagement night special by bringing creativity, literacy, and festive fun to life for our Brilliant participants! 

Volunteers will assist with event set-up, registration, activity management, food distribution, and post-event clean-up. (Volunteer shifts are available, please inquire.)

Don’t miss our Littlefield hub's 2025 Christmas Bash! 

Our Littlefield community is ringing in the holiday season with:

-A visit from Santa Claus

-Festive activities and games

-A cozy, storytime session 

-A delicious Christmas meal (plus a hot cocoa and cookie bar!)

-And maybe even a surprise visit from a magician or a clown…

We would love to welcome a few enthusiastic volunteers to assist with event set-up, registration, activity management, food distribution, and post-event clean-up.

Come spread holiday cheer with us at the Brightmoor Hub as we celebrate the season with joy, creativity, and community connection! 

Join us for a cozy holiday celebration at the Central Hub, filled with festive activities and joyful memories for the whole family! 

Join us for a festive holiday celebration at our Pontiac hub filled with creativity, community, and joy for the whole family! 

This fall, our Brightmoor hub is hosting Givemoor Distribution Days every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., families can access essential items like clothing, books, and diapers in a warm, organized environment designed to encourage meaningful selection and community engagement. 

We’re currently looking for volunteers who can assist with set-up, breakdown, and management of the distribution station. If you are social, detail-oriented and have a heart for giving, we would love to have you join us! 

In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it’s more important than ever that our nation’s youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make informed decisions.

Brilliant Detroit holds 2 STEM courses each quarter that aims to develop and grow their skills in science, technology, engineering, math, and they even get to explore art. 

STEM Facilitator commitment - Quarterly Course and 3-5 hours/week training and coaching sessions.

Stories and STEM - Brilliant children ages 3-5 and their families enjoy stories and fun engaging hands-on projects in a variety of literacy-based science activities together that bring the exciting world of science to life!

Adventures in Science - Brilliant children ages 6-8 participate in step-level learning through inquiry and the exploration of a variety of science topics to develop and process skills for science (observing, hypothesizing, asking questions, problem solving, and drawing conclusions through hands-on experiences with a focus of allowing children's ideas come to life!

Unique Brilliant volunteers are needed to help prepare, facilitate and grow the minds of our Detroit youth. If you have a love of STEM (A), connect with us today! (Trainings and check-ins with our program creator happen frequently).

Dates: Quarterly

Locations: Various Brilliant locations - Where We Are

How: In-person

Volunteer Roles: 

**Volunteers working directly with Brilliant children, families, and staff are asked to have a background check**

Come create an empowering learning environment for students this Fall semester! 

During our after-school programming, students will work independently on homework assignments, complete educational worksheets, and engage in independent reading time. We're looking for volunteers to provide support and assistance with homework, teach positive study habits, and encourage questions for students in K-3rd grade during our Fall semester, between 9/17 and 12/17, from 3:30-5 p.m. 

Brilliant Cities/Detroit takes great pride in honoring National Days of Service that closely aligns with our mission and core values to educate and unite individuals, families, service clubs, businesses, schools, and faith-based organizations in volunteerism throughout the year.

Be Brilliant - Share their knowledge in Health, Wellness, and/or Nutrition by supporting or leading a specialized health program.

Brilliant volunteers are needed as facilitators, presenters and general assistance for health, wellness, and nutrition nights.

 (Please NOTE: This opportunity is an in-person volunteer role)

We are looking for volunteers who are excited about working with kids and supporting literacy in Detroit to lead reading cohorts at our hubs. Brilliant Detroit is excited to partner with Reading is Fundamental (RIF) and Raising a Reader (RaR) to offer literacy enrichment programming at our sites!

As a volunteer leader, you would come in-person to one of our sites to lead an hour-long program once a week from October to May. 

Volunteers will be partnered with a child and be tasked to read aloud books and lead activities based on those books with that child. This opportunity is best suited for those with early childhood education experience and/or interest, however, anyone can lead these programs. These programs work best when the facilitator is upbeat, energetic, compassionate, and engaging.

These programs are offered in person at hubs based on the volunteer's availability. Volunteers will be placed based on the needs of our hubs and the volunteer's proximity to one of our Brilliant pods.

A Brilliant Detroit orientation and background check are required to serve in these programs. Specialized training for this opportunity will also be given after the background check is completed. For more information, please contact volunteer@brilliantdetroit.org.

Emergencies happen whether we are prepared for them or not. Some Brilliant Detroit families are not prepared for the emergencies that happen in their lives. 

Host a Collection Drive and make Brilliant things happen! With these new pantries, families who are facing an unexpected hardship are able to receive support to help them through. 

Brilliant accepts community support daily from 11 am to 2 pm Monday thru Thursday.  To schedule a donation drop-off, please reach out to volunteer@brilliantdetroit.org.

Suggested items Include:

We are currently looking for volunteers to help in person at our Larkins location!  This role would be helping us unload and bring in donated items into our building and help organize items for storage or for distribution to one of our other locations.

We are looking for volunteers who would be available during our operating hours: Monday-Friday 10am - 4pm.  We are looking for short OR long term volunteers! We do ask that if you are able to volunteer for only one day that you can help for a minimum of 3 hours.  However, we would love it if someone was able to come a couple times a week over the next few weeks!

Because of the nature of this role, you should be comfortable lifting/carrying items weighing at least 25lbs.

Brilliant Detroit provides a range of programming for our parent caregivers throughout the year. Our work is simply not possible without those who volunteer their time to create and advance so many of our programs at our hubs. As we support our adult participants, volunteers are needed to lead child enrichment activities during parent resource group meetings.

Child Enrichment Volunteers provide weekly support by interacting with children of all ages for specific timeframes by facilitating group activities with children.

While this volunteer opportunities will require a longer time commitment, we guarantee that it will make a lasting impact not only on the life of a Brilliant Detroit child, but on your own!

Requirements of Positions:
1. At least 15 years old
2. All volunteers must have an informal interview with Brilliant Detroit Volunteer Engagement Manager and pass a background check.
3. Must adhere to the confidentiality of Brilliant parents and children.
commit to keeping the confidentiality of all AVFC locations and clients at all times.
4. Must support and follow all guidelines, policies and procedures associated with Brilliant Southwest Detroit.
5. Have reliable transportation to volunteer locations.
6. Will be evaluated for the duration of your volunteer role. 

Qualifications for Positions:
1. Willingness to work within guidelines, policies, standards and mission statement of Brilliant Detroit.
2. Patience and understanding when dealing with children of all ages.
3. Awareness of and sensitivity to cultural/ethnic differences and/or willingness to learn.
4. Ability to work in a team and accept guidance and direction from staff members.
5. Experience with diverse cultures, languages and situations desirable but not mandatory.
6. Experience working with children
7. Bilingual abilities highly desirable but not mandatory.

COMMITMENT:
Commit to a regular schedule detailed below

Brilliant Staff fully recognize that burnout is a real issue in today’s world and in this line of work. We encourage volunteers to practice self-care activities.

**Volunteers working directly with Brilliant children, families, and staff must complete a background check.

Dear Kid Success Champion,

We are thrilled to share the launch of Brilliant Detroit's very own podcast -- Brilliant Together.

Each podcast episode will feature top experts, leaders and changemakers dedicated to strengthening families and children from belly (0) to eight. 

Conversations explore a range of topics and thought leadership on engaging families, mobilizing communities, and providing children with the support they need to reach their full potential.

Brilliant Together is now available on Apple and Spotify. We are so excited to have made this project a reality and to continue lifting up the amazing work happening in the early childhood education and care space.

Yours in Kid Success,

Brilliant Detroit is dedicated to building kid success neighborhoods where families with children 0-8 have what they need to be school ready, healthy and stable. We do this by providing proven programming and support year round out of Brilliant Detroit homes in high-need neighborhoods.

If you are not already, become a FAN of Brilliant Detroit and receive the latest information happening at Brilliant!